And when pulling up to the scene of a fire, firefighters don't walk around the building in the dark with flashlights reading signs. The scene is assesed and if an entry is advisable, firefighters will enter the building. Who knows what these warning signs looked like? They could have been written on a cocktail napkin.
Just checked and you're right. Mainly what got Pappy riled was TV shows and movies where firefighters dashed from room to room making meaningful eye contact with one another.
ECM: 'pulls the meter'
SOP with both departments.